June 15 SNAP P-EBT apps due!

The North Dakota Department of Human Services has some important information about additional food assistance benefits that your household may be eligible for. Please read the appropriate letter that applies to your students and follow the instructions laid out in the letter. The deadline to apply is June 15, 2020.

Through July 13 Camp Edventure

Elementary schools will continue into the summer in the Distance Learning Platform.

Curbside library book checkouts will be offered at some locations

Camp Edventure (grades 1-5) is Monday through Friday from June 1 through July 13, except July 3.

Middle/high school summer class schedules

Middle and high schools will continue into the summer in the Distance Learning Platform.

High School Administrators and Teachers will work with their individual classes to bring students in for small group instruction when the need necessitates. An example of this would be students needing to complete a hands-on laboratory experiment which would be done following the Facility Use Guidelines.

Curbside library book checkouts will be offered at some locations

Simle & Wachtersummer school is June 1-July 9, Monday-Thursday.Horizonsummer school is June 1-25, Monday-Thursday.

Bismarck High, Century and Legacy High School distance learning summer school is Monday-Friday.Session I: June 1-19Session II: June 22-July 10

South Central High Schoolsummer school is June 1-June 26.

No summer school July 3.

School Board Candidate Interviews

The League of Women Voters interviewed the candidates running for Bismarck School Board. Two spots are open on the June 9th election. See their interviews on Dakota Media Access TV under Meet the Candidates: DMA’s homepage.

June 8 School Board Meeting

The Bismarck School Board will meet at 5:15 pm at the City-County Building at 221 N. 5th Street. The public is invited to attend the meeting or watch it LIVE on cable channel 2.

June 9 School Board Election

The School Board Election is June 9.

2020-21 Head Start application

Head Start is now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 school year. Applications can be found at https://www.bismarckschools.org/Page/2616 or call BECEP at 701-323-4400 to request an application be mailed to you. There is a black drop-box to the right of BECEP’s front door to return applications and required documents. BECEP is located at 720 North 14th Street.

The Needs Nook needs YOU!

We are asking for donations of diapers, wipes, tampons, and feminine pads. These donations will help serve children 0-18 that receive support from the BPS Students in Transition program, BECEP, South Central High School, all BPS social workers working with families in need, Healthy Families of Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, and the Adopt-A-Block program.

We have seen an evident need to help people in our community with basic items such as diapers, wipes, and feminine hygiene products. This underlying need in our community is now exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting rising unemployment. WIC and SNAP benefits help with food, but do not help with these items or other personal hygiene items for children and families in our community. A group of organizations along with faith leaders are working with families and have come together with the goal of meeting the current above-mentioned needs and building relationships between churches and organizations to continue and increase the scope of support into the future.

Our first goal is to collect and build resources so the above organizations can distribute to families in need. Donations can be dropped off at:

J&R Vacuum (223 E Main Ave) Monday-Friday 9:00 am-6:00 pm. Drop off at loading dock and call 258-5619 at time of delivery.

To have donations picked up, call Becky Matthews at 701-220-5271. To learn more about the Needs Nook, contact her at rebecca239@bis.midco.net or 701-220-5271.

COVID-19 BPS Fundraising

Donate to Family Assistance FundThe Bismarck Public Schools Foundation (BPSF) has established a COVID-19 BPS Family Assistance Fund. Those that wish to donate may do so through the foundation website or by mail. To donate online, go to https://www.bpsfoundation.com/donate/ and click “COVID-19 BPS Family Assistance.” To donate by mail, send checks to the BPS Foundation at 806 N. Washington St., Bismarck, ND 58501 and write “COVID-19” in the memo line. Families seeking assistance are encouraged to reach out to their counselor or social worker who will connect them to established community resources as well as submit requests for funding needs that cannot be met within existing resources. The BPSF thanks those who have already reached out to volunteer and/or provide monetary donations to help those within our community who are struggling.

Donate to Student Feeding EffortsBPS has had many kind offers to help with student feeding. If you want to make a monetary donation to help feed students in need, go to https://www.bismarckschools.org/Page/3381 and follow the instructions listed. If you are not currently a MyPaymentsPlus user, you can set up an account!